Bravo's Reality Show Abuse Culture, Jen Aniston's New BF, and Kelly Clarkson Disrespected

Summary

The Nerve with Maureen Callahan Episode: Bravo's Reality Show Abuse Culture, Jen Aniston's New BF, and Kelly Clarkson Disrespected
Release Date: August 15, 2025

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of The Nerve with Maureen Callahan, host Maureen delves deep into the darker underbelly of reality television, scrutinizes Jennifer Aniston's latest public appearances, and sheds light on troubling revelations surrounding Kelly Clarkson. Through sharp analysis and unabashed honesty, Maureen navigates these high-profile topics, offering listeners a nuanced perspective on celebrity culture and media.

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Bravo's Reality Show Abuse Culture

Maureen kickstarts the discussion by addressing the recent controversies surrounding Bravo's reality shows, particularly focusing on the final reunion of the cast of The Valley. She criticizes host Andy Cohen for his handling of situations involving self-confessed abusers and the normalization of domestic violence within these platforms.

• Domestic Abuse on Reality TV:
  Maureen expresses outrage over the inclusion of a self-confessed domestic abuser in the Vanderpump Rules reunion. She states, "If you could hear love, what would it sound like? [...] Maybe that's what love sounds like." (01:04)

• Andy Cohen's Role:
  She criticizes Cohen's decision-making, questioning his motivations and the ethical implications of allowing such individuals to remain on stage:
  "And Andy turns to Jax and hands him a tissue because he's crying. Get out." (30:00)

• Historical Context:
  Maureen draws parallels with past Bravo controversies, highlighting patterns of abusive behavior being overlooked for the sake of ratings:
  "There's a small child in that house now. There is precedent for this." (07:53)

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Jennifer Aniston's New Boyfriend and Vanity Fair Feature

Transitioning to Hollywood gossip, Maureen scrutinizes Jennifer Aniston's appearance in the latest Vanity Fair spread and introduces her new boyfriend, Jim Curtis—a professional hypnotist and self-published self-help author.

• Vanity Fair Spread Analysis:
  Maureen dissects Aniston's photoshoot, suggesting it's "very Meghan Markle coded" and criticizes the portrayal as superficial and overly styled:
  "These are $20,000 worth of clothes. I look like I'm out in English countryside." (50:51)

• Critique of Jim Curtis:
  She lambastes Curtis's self-help credentials, mocking his "Shift. Quantum Manifestation Physics" book and questioning his authenticity:
  "This guy's a hustler. So, so anyway, that was really dark." (58:55)

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Kelly Clarkson's Disrespect and Ex-Husband's Repercussions

Maureen shifts focus to Kelly Clarkson, revealing disturbing information about her late ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, and the mistreatment Clarkson has faced.

• Abusive Relationship Exposed:
  She details Blackstock's abusive behavior, including allegations of physical abuse and manipulation:
  "Brandon court-ordered to return $2.6 million of Kelly's earnings." (27:05)

• Posthumous Revelations:
  Maureen discusses recent findings about Blackstock's actions towards Clarkson's personal assistant, painting a picture of ongoing deceit and betrayal:
  "He took up with Kelly's former personal assistant while she was Kelly's active personal assistant." (28:29)

• Kelly's Struggles:
  Highlighting Clarkson's resilience, Maureen emphasizes her talent and the unfair treatment she has endured:
  "Kelly Clarkson has a lot of talent. She's really hardworking." (58:23)

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The Decline of Fashion Magazines

In a broader cultural critique, Maureen laments the apparent end of fashion magazines, using the September issue of Vogue as a case study.

• Vogue's Struggles:
  She points out deficiencies in the latest Vogue edition, suggesting it's a "half-assed prototype" and mourning the decline of traditional fashion publications:
  "The rumored frontrunner to take over for Anna Wintour is installed as her puppet." (60:19)

• Chloe Malley's Ascendancy:
  Maureen criticizes Chloe Malley’s rise within Vogue, attributing her success to nepotism rather than merit:
  "She represents the future of modern fashion and style and beauty and grace." (31:21)

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Listener Feedback and Community Engagement

Maureen engages with her audience by reading and responding to listener emails, showcasing the passionate and sometimes contentious relationship between the host and her listeners.

• Critical Listener:
  An email from a listener named C criticizes Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, leading Maureen to investigate and discuss their controversial past actions:
  "Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker sparking disgust by living it up in Ireland." (18:34)

• Global Perspectives:
  A listener from Mumbai expresses frustration with nepotism in Bollywood, drawing parallels to Hollywood's issues:
  "As an Indian, we were colonized by the British for a long time. But I and many like me are still on Team Late Queen Elizabeth." (25:25)

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Conclusion and Upcoming Segments

Wrapping up the episode, Maureen teases upcoming content, including a documentary on the set of The Biggest Loser and highlights from her YouTube Minis. She encourages continued listener engagement and previews next week's full show.

• Upcoming Documentary:
  "A three-part docu series is premiering on Netflix and it is an expose of what really went on on the set of the Biggest Loser." (80:51)

• YouTube Minis:
  Maureen promotes her YouTube Minis as a space for more visual and in-depth analyses:
  "These people could never turn around and say, I never said that." (34:35)

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Notable Quotes

• Maureen Callahan on Domestic Abuse Normalization:
  "If you could hear love, what would it sound like? Son, can we talk about your drinking? Yeah, Dad, I think we should." (00:00)

• Critique of Reality TV Handling by Andy Cohen:
  "And Andy turns to Jax and hands him a tissue because he's crying. Get out." (30:00)

• On Jennifer Aniston's Public Persona:
  "If you want to watch something really good about the news industry, watch the News Reader. It's on AMC streaming." (50:51)

• Kelly Clarkson's Talent Recognition:
  "Kelly Clarkson has a lot of talent. She's really hardworking." (58:23)

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Final Thoughts

Maureen Callahan's incisive commentary in this episode of The Nerve serves as a critical mirror to current celebrity and media practices. By addressing issues of abuse, nepotism, and the decline of traditional media, she fosters a space for informed and fearless conversations that challenge mainstream narratives.

Transcript

[Maureen Callahan]

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[Andy Cohen]

Hello and welcome to your Friday edition of the Nerve. I am your host Maureen Callahan. And once again, if I may say so, we at Team Nerve. I think we've assembled a banger for you. I really do. First, we will be going and the timing is deliberate. I'll explain. We will be going all in in on the Bravo verse, probably the first of many hits and the vast underworld of reality tv. And one Andrew Cohen, I believe has a lot to answer for. We are also going to be talking about Jennifer Aniston's new Vanity Fair spread. Some comments that I don't think are going to age very well. Her new boyfriend who is a professional hypnotist and a self published self help author. So he's a winner. Plus we've got more on Kelly Clarkson and some revelations about her late ex husband that have surfaced over the past few days. And it's, it's dark stuff and then we have something lighter. But really I find it makes me, it makes me upset. And I'll, I'll explain. But it's further proof that the world of fashion and the world of magazines and the world of fashion magazines is coming off life support. And we've got a flatline. Okay. And then of course it would what, what kind of show would it be if we didn't do your emails? Let's do it. Are you looking to support more made in the USA manufacturing this year? Whether it's home decor, clothing or furniture, it's becoming extremely difficult to find high quality products that aren't made overseas. A recent Forbes report revealed that annual earnings for small businesses across the United States have dropped by over 75% since 2023. Small businesses in America are struggling to stay afloat. And with the likes of Amazon and Target dominating the market, of course that is where a warehouse comes in. It is your one stop shop for artisanal, one of a kind home goods. With hundreds of products to choose from, they are deeply committed to supporting American manufacturers. Their easy to navigate online marketplace lets you browse a wide range of independent makers and you can feel good knowing that your purchase supports real people upholding transparent and ethical business practices. A warehouse believes that true luxury isn't about fancy labels or big brand names. It is about the dedication, creativity and care that goes into every product. Help a warehouse hit their goal of supporting over 100 small businesses this year by heading over to awarehouseshop.com and use code thenerve for 15% off your first order. That's awarehouseshop.com code. The nerve okay, I'm going to begin with, you know, our reality show segment. The timing is such that the f the third and final reunion of the cast of the Valley aired on Bravo this past Tuesday. It was hosted by one Andy Cohen. And you know, we touched on this. We didn't, we knew we were going to go in depth, but we talked about how morally and ethically reprehensible. I don't know how this is legal. I'm sure it is. I mean they've got lawyers out the wazoo over there. To have a self confessed domestic abuser on that set. By the way, seated to Andy's left hand side, so that's a pride of place. Right hand side was Jax's estranged, soon to be ex wife, hopefully Britney, who recounted no shortage of horrors visited upon her while their small child was in the home, I believe. And yeah, so that first episode aired and do you know what they put a phone number up for in case one viewer or more were triggered by the discussion? It was for substance abuse because they were trying, in my opinion, to, to ameliorate these savage, disgusting incidents of domestic violence by saying, well, the guy has a self confessed drug and alcohol problem. So you know, and I was like livid when I saw that because first of all, again, I don't know why a domestic abuser is allowed on that stage. But secondly, throw up a number for anybody who may be watching and is like, hey, I'm in a domestic, I'm an, I'm a domestic abuse victim and I need help getting out. And don't look to the Valley or any of like the COVID ups they're trying to perpetrate on these reunions. You know, they're sending a very, very, very dangerous message and they're minimizing it and they're normalizing it. Okay? And I, this is, this is why the nerve exists. Exhibit 55. You're not going to see any entertainment show on the networks. Any syndicated like Access or Entertainment Tonight. You're not going to see it in the pages of Us Weekly or People magazine while you're at the doctor's office. It's not happening. Okay, so we're going to begin with. We're going to begin with Jax threatening Britney on camera at the reunion. And then we're going to go a bit into the Bravo archives and see how we got here. Okay? Take a look at this. So Britney says, at the beginning of the reunion, I'm already shaking. And Jack's looks across from her with zero emotion and says, you should. You should be shaking. And right there, you know, if I'm Andy Cohen, I'm saying, you know what? Get security and escort this guy out. I mean, he never would have been on the stage in the first place, but at that moment, I mean, that guy is telling you exactly who he is. But, you know, Andy Cohen, who long ago sold his soul to Satan, downplays it. So let's take a look at. At the verbiage he chooses.

[Maureen Callahan]

Let's start at the beginning and talk about what led up to that. So, Brittany, just days before filming started this season, you and Jax were separated, but talking about getting back together. Then you had a fight at your house. That changed everything.

[Andy Cohen]

Okay, Andy says you had a fight. No. The guy threw furniture around the house and then threw her into a rose bush. That's not a fight, Andy. That is an assault. That is a violent assault here, Brittany. Because. Because Andy doesn't want to get it because he just wants to keep his ratings baby going. This is one of the few new reality series that Bravo has launched that is an unqualified hit, and that says a lot about the culture Andy needs to keep this train going. But. But. Here, Brittany details what Jax did. He was extremely aggressive. Yes. He threw the coffee table. It landed on my knee. It turned black immediately. He threw both barstools. He threw my Stanley cup and broke it. He threw my phone and broke it. He threw my laptop and broke it. He threw me into the rose bushes.

[Christine Baranski]

He.

[Maureen Callahan]

I didn't throw you into the rose bush.

[Andy Cohen]

You did. It's on my ring. Camera, Camera. Yes, you did. You did. Everybody, my close friends up here have seen the videos, okay? She's saying he's denying the. The rose bush thing. He's admitting to everything else. The. The entire cast is shaking, is nodding their heads. Excuse me. Yes, and they've clearly seen the ring cam Footage that Britney is citing right there. And if you want to tell me that production knew nothing about this and that they. My opinion. Hadn't been privy to that ring camera footage, and they decided to continue with this guy on the cast because it was great tv. It was great fucking drama. There's a small child in that house now. There is precedent for this. There is precedent. I remember watching this in real time as it aired, and I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. And as stated with you guys, I consume a lot of media, so to be shocked is. Something's really, really wrong. Now, there was a season on Below Deck. And again, if you are gonna tell me that these producers, these production companies don't screen for people who maybe have had trouble with the law, who maybe have some assaults or some violence in their past, who are unhinged, who have no emotional regulation, who might be psychopathic. I'm not saying the people I'm about to show you are. I'm just saying. And you're putting them on a vessel out in open waters where there's no place to run for safety. Okay? You're trapped on a boat. Now, what they don't tell you on Below deck is that there is a Tanner that holds the entire crew that's filming the goings on Below Deck is a show about luxury yachting and the people who come on and the. And the kids who serve them. On this episode, there is a young stew named Margot. A young, beautiful Stu. And this. This other guy, Luke, I think he was a bosun, had been after her the whole time they were out. They were blowing off steam. The whole crew, everybody got wasted. They come back to the boat. Margo says to one of her friends, I just want water in bed. I don't want Luke. Okay, I'm just going to elocute that again. Water and bed. No Luke. Now, in the middle of the night, there's a power outage on the boat. And watch what? Luke. Where he goes. And always keep in mind there's a camera crew on him at all times. Let go if you're watching. He's got a smirk on his face and he's opening the door to her cabin. She's passed out with her back to the door. He's naked. Production saying no. And he looked at them and got in bed with her. Thank you very much. Look, we got this done. Thank you very much.

[Christine Baranski]

Nice.

[Andy Cohen]

There's a producer trying to cajole him out of bed. He's still in bed with Her. Rip this guy out of the bed. Luke. We're patting him. Luke, would you please. Luke rouses himself. Girl's passed out, disappears for a second. Says, off for a second, and slams the door on the crew. They open the door. He slams it shut again. Open. He slams it shut again. We can't do it.

[Maureen Callahan]

We can't do that.

[Andy Cohen]

Finally, he stumbles out. That could have been so much worse. But you know what? What really shocked me was just the. The. The sycophancy of the crew, as if they're dealing with, like, major talent. And it's like, luke, Luke, you gotta get out. You gotta get out. There should be a security guard who is ex Mossad on that set at all times. And if something like that happens, that asshole, that predator, my opinion, gets ripped out of the bed and knocked around a little bit before he's thrown off the boat in the middle of the night. Okay, but no. So we're going to move on. Same crew, same season. There's a female predator. My opinion on that boat as well. Her name is Laura, and she was all over. I believe it was another bosun named Adam. And Adam, if you think that this can't happen in reverse, that men cannot be the objects of sexual harassment and abuse, well, this is exhibit A to disabuse anybody of that notion, because she spends the entire season getting. Climbing all over him and touching him and fawning him and, like. And he's like, get away from me. Get off. And he's trying to laugh it off and not embarrass her or make it more of a big deal, when really he should just be like, stop touching me. This is sexual harassment. Okay, so one night, he gets wasted, too. You know, these are young kids. They're partying like, you know, you gotta just. Is it the greatest idea to get blackout drunk? No. But here we are. There are no perfect victims. Okay? Adam is in bed, face down, and Laura climbs into bed with him. Watch this. Laura was also fired after attempting to romantically pursue deckhand Adam Kodra. She followed him into his room and ignored him, asking her to not get into his bed. Producers had to. She's rubbing his back. He's locked out. And then the crew says, you got to get down. And she goes, okay, I'm coming. And she continues to caress his back and kiss him. And they say, you got to get down. And she goes, yeah, a minute. I'm coming down. And she continues to do it. It goes on like that for, like, a minute again. Where's ex Mossad? To tear this girl off of this guy and also punt her off the boat. Now, again, if you want to think they, they, they tried to give everybody involved, like a hero edit for doing the right thing. Captain Jason, what a swashbuckling pirate of a hero he was. He kicked that guy off the boat. Well, is this, is this cast member who was thrown off, like, still allowed to. To find a way to have communication with this girl? Take a look. I get this text from Luke. The next thing I know, the producers are like, slamming on your door like, no, no, no, no, no. And apparently he'd gotten into your bed naked when you were passed out. Unfortunately, I've got nothing else. But this is where we're hearing the firing. Hey, Margo. Please excuse my silence during this time as respecting your boundaries.

[Christine Baranski]

If you are willing, I would like.

[Andy Cohen]

To give you a call when you are free and let you hear my words, please. Kindest regards. The death stare that Margo throws the producers and the camera is for the ages. And again, how somebody who looked like he was getting ready to perpetrate a rape is allowed to have any contact with that young woman or anyone on the boat is beyond me. But you know what? It's not really, because this is Andy Cohen's network. And before anybody wants to say, listen, Andy's just the mascot and he doesn't market himself that way. He markets himself as, like, executive producer of a lot of these shows and, like, head bitch in charge and like, he runs the reunions and he sits there and he, you know, and that moved the story along, that little text, you know, traumatic though it may have been to this girl who is listening to the chief Stu recount to her what happened that night while she was blacked out. And you could see the look of horror on her face that she almost got raped. Storylines. A storyline. I guess now we're going to go. We're going to wind back to season one of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. If you want to see how the darkness. The darkness is not just encouraged, but it's cultivated. This is a fight. And when we get to our Hilton episode, you know, we're going to have to maybe portion it out. Kim Richards, former child star, has. Has struggled with drugs and alcohol all of her life. I'm going to guess that Kim was violated as a child. Okay. And I think that that would explain why she cannot, cannot heal herself and be sober for any real sustained period of time, as far as we know. Now in the confessional to this fight, Kim says as A child. I supported the entire family. I paid the mortgage, I bought the cars. I put every. Like, can you imagine? You're 11 years old and that's on your shoulder. And that mother was a nightmare. Okay, you want to talk a difficult mother now? Kyle, the sister who's always been the runt of the litter, who finally got. Got her spotlight and her flowers, she's the star of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She damn well knows her sister is struggling with alcohol and probably drugs and got her to come on this show anyway. Okay? And then is going to act like she was pushed to the limit and oops, a secret comes out. Watch this.

[Christine Baranski]

And mom had to die worrying about you and stressing about you and leave this on my shoulders. After everything that I have done for you. Everything I've done for you, I'm always there for you. Everything you've done for me? Yeah. Yeah. Everything I've done for you, I stole. My God. I've done. House. Listen. Did you hear what you just said, Kim? Oh, you out of your mind? You are so sick. Did you hear what you just said? My husband has helped you.

[Andy Cohen]

That reaction tells me Kim's telling the.

[Christine Baranski]

Truth and taking care of you, okay? Like you're a second wife. So you for talking like that, you better take that back right now. You better.

[Andy Cohen]

Now, Kyle goes in physically on Kim.

[Christine Baranski]

And sick and alcoholic. Okay? You are an alcoholic. Yes, that's right. That's right.

[Andy Cohen]

I've said it.

[Christine Baranski]

Now everybody knows.

[Andy Cohen]

Oh, my God. Okay, you can stop it right there. You can stop it right there. Kyle got what she wanted. She humiliated her sister. She said, you're a liar, you're sick and you're an alcoholic. And you could see Kim's face freeze. Now, what did that get Kyle? Another season and another and another. And now she's had in charge over there, having run off everybody else who's potentially a threat to her. Okay? Real Housewives of Orange county again, I watched this in real time and could not believe what I was seeing. And if you want to. If you want to draw a direct line to Jax Taylor throwing his wife in a rose bush, which presumably has many thorns, and breaking all manner of stuff in the house and spying on her via ring cam. And the guy's escalating and escalating. This is what happens. They escalate. You know what happens, Andy? Usually the woman winds up dead, okay? But there was a season of Real Housewives where one of them named Gretchen, was clearly threatened, just my opinion, by a younger, prettier Housewife named Gretchen. And so Tamara. Sorry, Tamara was the housewife who was threatened. She decided to throw a party, a dinner party. And the plan was to get Gretchen, quote, unquote, naked, wasted. Okay, I've never heard this phrase before. And it's so juvenile and dirty and gross and crude and it's just what it sounds like. She wanted to get this woman who, by the way, who was engaged to a man who was dying of cancer, so drunk, so blackout drunk, that her creepy son ryan, who's about 20 years Gretchen's junior, could have sex with her. And she presumably would be in no condition to resist. Okay, let's take a look at this clip. We were in the kitchen, and then all of a sudden, I turned around and Ryan and Gretchen were gone. Camera. I have no idea where they went. Where were. They're upstairs. Gretchen's going into the bathroom. And you can't make out with me because I'm in. Guys. Okay. Hey, listen to how drunk she is. And they're. Those two are behind a closed bathroom door.

[Christine Baranski]

Cute.

[Andy Cohen]

And I like. The camera's on them. On the door, guys. Cuz. No, I like you a lot. You got to go out there, though. I like you. You're really cute.

[Christine Baranski]

You totally turn me on.

[Andy Cohen]

But you got to go out there. She's trying to get him out of there. I know.

[Christine Baranski]

You can't go.

[Andy Cohen]

You can't come in here because you totally turn me on. And you guys stand there out there. Are you sure?

[Christine Baranski]

Yes.

[Andy Cohen]

Have a hug. You totally aren't.

[Christine Baranski]

Cute guy.

[Andy Cohen]

Oh, yeah. Turn me on. But he's not leaving.

[Christine Baranski]

Make out with you because your Tamara is younger son.

[Andy Cohen]

How about just one peck? Yeah, that's nice. Look at this. Nice. You know, again, production should have knocked down that door and said, get out of there. This woman's blackout drunk. She said no 8 million times. And he's always trying to find a way in. Can I just get a peck? Can I just get this? Can I just get that? All right, you want to know who knows? Oh, by the way, you know who's still on that show? Tamara. And Gretchen came back, too. It is a sickness. It is a sickness. You know, I used to really enjoy these shows. I really did. And now I really. I can't. They are so dark. They are so dark. And you see just the depths to which these people will go to keep a TV camera on them. Now, Bethenny Frankel, complicated figure in the culture. Tell me. I'm thinking about a mini on her. But you guys tell me, okay? Or if maybe we should just do it on the regular nerve. But Bethany took to social media to talk about a former housewife of New Jersey named Caroline Manzo who decided to come back and go on a one off special that Bravo's trying to establish these as another franchise called the Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. And I believe what happened to Caroline may have killed that franchise dead. And this is how, you know, Bravo is feeling the boot on the neck. Watch and listen to Bethany wanted back.

[Christine Baranski]

In on some level. Caroline, she's talking about good money for a week's work. And she had a quote years ago, something like, I could never get it right, but I love it. If you hang out with car, you know, something like if you hang up by a dumpster, you're gonna smell like trash. That's her line. So she walked into a dumpster fire. Why? Because these are fired housewives. The most desperate of all housewives, because they want to rape. They want to either get invited back or know that they did well or know that they could come back at some point. Like, that's why some of those trips are so crazy. Because it's a bunch of fired housewives. You can get to do anything. You got fired. Go kill someone. Go set, you know, go set someone's house on fire. You know, there's nothing more desperate than a housewife except a fired housewife.

[Andy Cohen]

So what happened here is that Caroline Manzo alleged that another former housewife named Brandi Glanville sexually assaulted her. And this claim must have been caught on camera or on audio because they never aired any of that. That thing. It's been placed in a vault. If it hasn't already been burned, no one will ever see that. It must have happened. And you know, again, the wolves are at the door. Andrew Cohen. Now let's hear Bethany on what really goes on behind the scenes over there at Bravo.

[Christine Baranski]

So Caroline Manzo walked into the land of bad behavior and experienced bad behavior. But we've all seen crazy things. Like, all of us who've been on these ships have seen crazy things. Some of us have almost died. Many of us have experienced and witnessed substance abuse, sexual assault. Like, there's crazy stuff that we all do keep under the hood that nobody's heard about.

[Andy Cohen]

Well, I think more people are going to talk about it. And by the way, in one of the tabloids this week, one of the headlines is, Denise Divorce rattles. Bravo. We talked about Denise Richards and her claims against her husband Aaron that he physically abused her. Here it is. Here's the Picture of Denise, the before and after. And that Bravo is shaking in their boots because if they caught anything on camera, which I believe they did, we showed it. We showed Aaron on camera telling Denise to shut the fuck up or he was going to crush her hand. Did production do anything? Did Bravo execs step in? No, no, it's great. It's great drama. Okay, so let's go back to the Valley and Jack talking about his raging cocaine habit that dated back to his early days on Vanderpump Rules. And Andy looking really bored as. As if we have to get this bit of housekeeping done and dusted so that we can blame Jax abusing his wife in a home where a four year old lives on drugs and alcohol. Take a look.

[Maureen Callahan]

When you were on Vanderpump Rules, there was always speculation from the viewers. Eyes were bulging out of my head. Great memes, though. So you were doing coke?

[Andy Cohen]

Yeah.

[Maureen Callahan]

And filming?

[Andy Cohen]

Yeah.

[Maureen Callahan]

I think a lot of people who watched Vanderpump Rules over the years could kind of tell that I was on something. You know, obviously production and people, they didn't know what I was doing. Everything I was doing is on my own.

[Andy Cohen]

Okay, so Jax has to say that to keep his job. Obviously production didn't know what I was doing. Now if you watch these shows, you know, you know who runs these shows? The camera people and the editors. They are people who don't miss a trick. They laser in on micro expressions, on passive aggressive body language. They catch everything. You're telling me this sophisticated crew of people, just my opinion, didn't know this guy was a raging cocaine addict and that the cocaine only fueled his rages. At one point in this, in this, in this reunion, Britney says, yeah, you know, we would go out to dinner and Jax would get up from the table every 10 minutes. Perhaps Andy knows a little bit about drugs and alcohol on his end. I mean, I've heard things, but, you know, I'm, I'm not saying, I'm not accusing him of anything, but I'm just saying like attracts like. Now here's Jax excusing his abusive need for control and trying to control his situation on the show with said excuse.

[Maureen Callahan]

Let's look, obviously I still have some problems that I need to figure out and I'm still angry and I, if I feel like I don't have the control, I lose it. Because control to me is a very big thing. Rage, texting and looking on the cameras, that's a form of control. You know how creepy it is that you were watching on the cameras tell.

[Andy Cohen]

Me what I was wearing. So weird.

[Maureen Callahan]

It's a control thing. I keep using this word control. I feel like that's all I have left.

[Andy Cohen]

You know what's even creepier? Andy? You sitting there knowing all about this and doing all to stop it. You. Now, Andy backs Jax. We. He does this every reunion with Jax. Everybody's done this every reunion with Jax. This guy's been on Bravo for, like, 15 years. He's gonna say that Jax is finally taking accountability more than he ever has before, even though every year he goes, yeah, I'm a work in progress. I'm trying. I'm not perfect, but I'm trying. You gotta give me credit. I'm trying. And Britney says, this is a performance. Britney, she's not the brightest, but she said she knows the word performative. It's in the lexicon now. And then Jax starts getting angry at that. Okay, so let's take a look at.

[Maureen Callahan]

This in his own way. Through many reunions where I've sat here with him where he's been confronted by horrible behavior, he has taken more accountability today than I've heard him take.

[Andy Cohen]

No, I'm scared it's performative, and I hope it's not performative. I hope that he is very sorry. I don't trust that in two days he's going to be rage texting me and screaming at me again. She used the word scared. She didn't say, I think it's performative. She said, I'm scared it's performative. If something happens to Britney or his son at the hands of Jax Taylor. I hope Andy Cohen and Bravo get sued. I hope they get sued for everything, and I hope they shut it all down. And to watch the other cast members sit there and numbly, like, nod their heads like, these are excuses worth anything. You know, it just, again, it goes to show you, like, how desensitized everybody has become. Have I secured my position for a season three now making the rounds on social media? This is very interesting. This post went up a few weeks ago. I believe it went up on Instagram on August 1, and it's still there, which says to me that Bravo can't sue this woman or hasn't even tried on her Instagram bio. She says she's a mother of three. So, you know, I think she's got to be pretty buttoned up in these assertions. She was on Project Runway. Listen to her talk about what goes on behind the scenes. And Andy Cohen, again, who has really. He's not a talent on that show. He doesn't appear, but he's apparently very involved. Let's take a look.

[Christine Baranski]

Do you guys really think Harvey Weinstein was the worst one on set? Andy Cohen was. He was disgusting.

[Andy Cohen]

Horrible.

[Christine Baranski]

Worse. Predator with the gays hopping around on set. Hey, tweens propositioning designers to have a threesome in exchange for their own show. I worked for Harvey, but actually no one wanted your ass. Come into my office, I want to talk to you. We called you the Gay Weinstein.

[Andy Cohen]

The gay Weinstein. And Kenley says there he was worse than Harvey, who was an executive producer on that show. And again, if you want to say that Andy didn't know what Harvey was up to and Harvey didn't know what Andy is allegedly up to, you know, they've successfully batted away Bravo and Andy. A few lawsuits I believe, but I don't think you can keep the wolves from the door forever. I don't think you can. And there's a lot of collateral damage. So, you know, we're just going to keep our eyes on this. But you know when you, when you see this stuff. And again, the Andy Cohen's and the NBC Universals of the world, which own Bravo, are trying to sand those edges down and just say, well, it's a drug problem or you know, he's not that bad. Or it's, it's none of those things. It isn't just a drug problem. It is that bad. That guy is a monster and he's violent and he's clearly escalating and his wife is on that stage and she says, I'm sorry, scared. And Andy turns to Jax and hands him a tissue because he's crying. Get out. Okay, now that was a catharsis. On to something lighter. Next we are going to your feedback, your emails and you've advanced several things that we've covered on the most recent nerve. We will be back in a minute. When elites tell you what's right and who's wrong, it's rarely the truth. They shape the narrative, protect their own, and then profit from the chaos. And people fall for it. Not because it's true, but because it's easier and less time consuming than digging around for the facts. But Ground News is a news comparison platform and they have created a blind spot feed to highlight stories being ignored by the mainstream media. This is a practical tool for seeing each source bias who benefits from the narrative and who is hoping you might never see the full picture. So we partnered with Ground News to get you 40% off the vantage plan. We use that's just $5 per month for unlimited access. Go to Ground News slash Maureen or scan my QR code. If we're going to fight back, we need tools that show us the whole truth. My husband doesn't even notice me anymore.

[Maureen Callahan]

If I was your husband, I would cook for you every day.

[Andy Cohen]

Tomorrow a Lifetime ORIGINAL Movie I'll never let you go.

[Maureen Callahan]

I want us to be a family.

[Andy Cohen]

We had an affair.

[Christine Baranski]

Now it's over.

[Andy Cohen]

Loneliness can be lethal.

[Maureen Callahan]

Getting hurt. I surprise you. People love.

[Andy Cohen]

Don't miss I'll Never Let yout Go starring Megan Good.

[Christine Baranski]

I am not gonna let you cost me my family.

[Andy Cohen]

Thomas Cadreau and Antonio Kupo Tomorrow at 8 only on Lifetime. We are back. Before we get into your messages, just a note. On Friday night, I believe it's a three part docu series is premiering on Netflix and it is an expose of what really went on on the set of the Biggest Loser. I would encourage you guys to watch. I will be watching. We'll probably touch upon it on next week's Full Nerve now. So much great feedback from you guys. And again, oh, by the way, you guys loved Meg Josephson, the author of the book Are youe Mad at Me? And she talked a lot about people pleasing and fawning and how to sort of get over that no matter what age you are. I heard from so many of you who are like, I'm in my 60s and I'm still trying to deal with it. Or like Meg put a name to something I've been like struggling with identifying. Anyway, Meg just hit the New York Times bestseller list. Are you mad at me? Has debuted at number four. Congratulations, Meg. It is so well deserved. You really have put something good and important out into the world and continued success to you. Also, I would like to correct myself, little woodshed moment for moi. In the last episode I said that JFK Jr. Was 39 when his mother died. I was mistaken. He was 33, I believe going on 34. I was speaking off the top of my head. It happens. But we correct ourselves. So, you know, now we continue to get a lot of email from you guys about Tracee Ellis Ross, the NEPO baby of one Ms. Diana Ross and host of the oh, by the way, it encouraged me to go buy on Amazon. It's a really good old copy. I love old copies of celeb bios like this. Call her Ms. Ross. The tell all by J. Randy Taraborrelli. And it's going on the pile for my dwindling summer. Oh, I love summer. So bummed it's about to end. Okay, Anyway, so, yeah, so Tracy's show in which she jets off to foreign lands and then she hardly leaves her hotel. Like she's like, I'm just unpacking all day and then I'm gonna pack to go home and look at trees. But one of you troublemakers pointed out to me that of course one of her mother's most famous songs is do youo Know, which I believe was the theme song to Mahogany, which I think, I think it was 1975. Diana Ross is the leading lady. Billy Dee Williams is her leading man. It's kind of, I think like a black version of the Way We Were. And the lyrics to my. I really need to sit down and watch that movie again. Oh my God. The lyrics to Mahogany. The beginning, the beginning lines. Tracy, listen to your mother. Do you know where you're going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to? Do you know the irony? Now we got a lot of feedback of about sjp and just like that. And we continue to field your replies, your comments, your observations, your savagely funny takes. And first I want to read an email from a troublemaker. I will name you C. You know exactly who you are. You are from the Midwest. You didn't say if I could use your name or not. So abundance of caution. Hello lover. That joke was not worth the nausea of hearing Sarah Jessica Parker's annoying ass voice in my head as I typed it. It's a Sex in the City reference. My name is C. I am a 33 year old gay guy from the Midwest. I am a right leaning independent. So I'm the normal kind of gay. Ha. I've been watching your show since day one. Thanks. Troublemaker C. He likes. He likes it when I go and get to visit with Megan and he says he feels like it's sitting down with two best friends gossiping about current events and I laugh my ass off when you guys get together. He then says, and I'm just saying this because this warms my heart. I love this. Thank you. You're every gay guy's dream. Best friend style gossip and a zero fucks to give attitude. Oh, Troublemaker C. Which brings me to my point. Please don't forget to toss SJP other half into the wood chipper with her. Matthew Broderick has always seemed off. Honestly, I've always suspected she was just his beard. I don't trust anyone who willingly spends time with sjp. But that's not the reason he should join her in the wood chipper. My evidence, in 1987, while dating Jennifer Grey, the actress most famous for Dirty Dancing, he drove into the wrong lane in Ireland and hit another car head on, killing 28 year old Anna Gallagher and her 63 year old mother, Margaret Daugherty. He was charged with vehicular manslaughter, but got it reduced to careless driving. And after killing two people, paid only a fucking $175 fine to make it worse. The assholes later bought and renovated a home in Northern Ireland where locals can't stand them and want them gone. So this email led me to go back and read more about it and because this happened all before the Internet, right? So what came up first was this Radar Online story which was published on April 1, 2025 by Hailey Gunn. The headline, exclusive, Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker sparking disgust by living it up in Ireland. Mansion miles from where Ferris Bueller Starr killed two women. They've purchased a mansion or they're building a mansion. They show the photos in this report mere miles from the scene of this fatal crash that apparently, I mean, he was charged Matthew Broderick caused. Okay? Now she's online showing glimpses of life at the quote, Broderick Parker home in County Donegal. And this is a mansion, okay? It is a mansion. I mean, have some fucking shame if you're going to do it, don't throw it up on social media. Okay? Now this is what happened according to reports at the time and as they exist now. In August of 1987, Matthew Broderick was behind the wheel of a rented BMW with his then girlfriend, Jennifer Gray. He turned into the wrong lane, crashing head on into another vehicle. And those occupants, that 63 year old woman named Margaret and her 28 year old daughter Anna were killed instantly. So that means Matthew Broderick had to be going pretty fucking fast and he was not driving carefully. Because I've driven in Ireland and when you drive and you're on the wrong side of the. In America, it's not the wrong side of the road, it's the other side of the road. And your orientation is completely off. And if anything, you're driving more cautiously than more recklessly. Okay, but I guess Matthew Broderick, I don't know, having the time of his life. He was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, but that charge was reduced to careless driving. And his punishment again was that $170, $75 fine our troublemaker referenced. So if that's how much these two non famous lives were worth, I guess $87.50 each. But those two are over there living it up in their mansion miles from the scene of the crime. Not legally a crime, but you know what I'm saying. Okay, another this was a great response. It was a comment to our conversation with Tim McKay and we've heard you about how much you love Tim. How I wish there was an Indian version. This is from a. This is from a troublemaker in Mumbai, India. Hello. How I wish there was an Indian version of your show. Because we hero worship our Bollywood celebrities, many of whom are deeply problematic. Nepo babies and the tea is boiling. Also, as an Indian, we were colonized by the British for a long time. But I and many like me are still on Team Late Queen Elizabeth, King Charles, Prince William, not Meghan Markle and Harry. Because nobody likes people who break up for families. And Indians are very family oriented. So we hate seeing an outsider come in and break up a family and create toxicity. We see right through her. Love that. Maureen an Oprah story 2007 or 2009 this troublemaker says she met an Oprah employee on vacation with her husband in Maui. This was years ago and she was 20. And at first this woman, she had been like tippling a little bit so she was loosened up and she said, I signed an NDA. I can't really say anything. But she did go on to say she was a regular nail tech for Oprah and Gail in house. Of course they don't go out for many. And she said the two of them are awful. Again, this is 2007 or 2009. Just this troublemakers report. She said they when she was last there, they were discussing Eddie Murphy's then recent divorce from his wife Nicole and lapping up how much money she got from him, how they were looking to speak to her and get dirt on Eddie. They went on to talk about the fact that Nicole only left him because Eddie didn't want to go out and party with celebs. That tracks from the time he was very, very famous when he broke through on snl. Eddie Murphy bought a mansion in New Jersey and he named it Bubble Hill because it was a bubble. He didn't want to leave it. She said it sickened her the way they hated men and seemed really keen to talk to the wives of powerful men and took sick pleasure in gossiping about these men being taken to the cleaners. She said that Maria Shriver was also a regular guest who laughed along with them. That tracks. I've thought of this story after watching the Harry and Meghan interview that Oprah did and it was blew my mind as I watched Megan drag Harry's family through the mud with Oprah's help. I watched as Harry just sat there, totally manipulated by what his wife was saying and too dumb and bitter to see past the real target in this interview. Who can forget Oprah's what? Full well. Knowing she was loving the gossip. Agreed. And fake trusting this Meghan Markle delist actress as she tore into the royal family troublemaker application for the woodshed from Australia. Oh, the Australian troublemakers. I love Australians. Okay. We do share a very similar DNA as said before. Now she is she loved. Oh firstly she says you have that beautiful makeup artist on regarding Bravo Tim, great energy. Agreed. Now the sliced apple comment. Tim's anecdote about Ramona Singer whose makeup he was doing her lips particularly demanding sliced apple. Chewing it up and then removing it and then putting the pulpy remains coated with her disgusting saliva in a cup and then depositing said cup at Tim's makeup station, which is such a fuck you to him. Fuck her. The sliced apple comment. Now again, this is just a troublemaker self report. No joke. Nicole Kidman has been denied window tables in Australian top restaurants. As she chews her food and spits it out. My mom's like sister, best friend, you know, best friend who's you could call a sister. Owns one. Jennifer Aniston, who we're about to get to looks terrible. The plastic surgery not, you know. Okay. Now to give you some background, this troublemaker, she says my mom was stunning, beautiful, elegant, timeless, ran with a fast crowd. Love to hear these stories. She mixed with the likes of Mel Gibson, Billy Zane. Her first party was actually with Elton John when she was young. My beautiful mom instilled in me from a very young age two lessons. Everything is designed to make you stronger and there's always someone worse off than you. Those are good. I remember my mom saying everyone goes to the toilet, even movie stars. So treat everyone how you would want to be treated. You never know who you are talking to. Also, everything can be tracked. Even writing this troublemaker Ms. Daisy signs off by saying, I have trained for the woodshed. I can cook French food plus light a fire. I camped year nine of school too. So I'm formally putting in my application. Plus I have been stuck at a broken down elevator with that bitch Madonna for four hours in Sydney. Consider your application under review. Troublemaker. Great stuff. Just great stuff. So this is where I remind you guys to like subscribe and spread the word about the nerve and keep us growing fast and strong. And again, we're going to be generating. We have such a fun announcement coming your way. I think we're going to be able to talk about it at the end of next week. So keep sending your thoughts, observations, suggestions, story ideas to me. You can email me [e-mail] or you can DM me on Instagram oreankallahanrider or at the Nerf show up Next, we're taking a bunch of celebs to the woodshed. We will see you in a minute. What if you could delay your next two mortgage payments and finally get a little breathing room? American Financing makes this Possible if you are feeling stretched by everyday expenses, groceries, gas, bills piling up, you are not alone. Most Americans are putting these expenses on credit cards and finding it difficult to get their way out of debt. But American Financing can show you how to use your home's equity to pay that off. 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[Maureen Callahan]

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[Andy Cohen]

We are back now to kick off this segment. I would like to talk about Jennifer Aniston in who is on the COVID of the new issue of Vanity Fair. Not that that really means anything anymore because magazines are dying. But there is a big discussion to be had because she's all over the place right now. She is in this feature story, this profile which we'll get to. She is criticizing the media while participating again in A Vanity Fair cover story. Okay. For her Apple TV show about the media in which she portrays a morning show host. Excuse me, a serious journalist. Now, the morning show is coming back soon and we will be covering it. I think it's going to be our new troublemaker. Hate Watch. But I want to say this. If you want to watch something really good about the news industry, watch the News Reader. It's on AMC streaming. I just started this thing and I am so hooked on it. I'm like, I'm actually going through it slowly because I'm trying to savor it. It's Australian and this thing has won a ton of awards. It's like a huge commercial success. It's a critical success. It stars Anna Torv, who you may know. I know her from David Fincher's Mindhunter. She was the lone female and in this show she plays the first female newsreader. It's set in the 80s in Australia. And then her co star is this guy Sam Reed, who's like this young up and comer and they have this relationship that's very fraught. But she's in love with him and he's not in love with her. And you'll realize why pretty early on. But what they're both really in love with is the news and breaking news and covering the news. And it's all, all of the stories that they cover are actual real stories. Like the series opens with the Challenger explosion and how that was covered in Australia. And it's so good. It's so great. And by the way, so in doing a little just deep dive, because I knew I was going to recommend this show to you guys, Anna Torv, it turns out her paternal aunt is a woman named Anna De Peyster, if I'm saying that correctly. And Anna was married to Rupert Murdoch for 31 years. She's the mother of Lachlan and Elizabeth and James Murdoch. So this actress is cousins with the people who are going to be running, you know, it's wild. Okay. But so, so anyway, that show, the Newsreader is everything that the morning show, you know, what I would say, wishes it could be, but I don't think that it's a brain trust over there. Like, I don't think they would look at something like I don't even think they know it exists. There, I said it. Now in this piece, Jennifer Aniston says that the inspiration for her character of Alex Levy, who is pretty flat. Flat as many of Jen's characters are. And I think there's a reason the inspiration is Diane Sawyer, which I don't believe. I, I, I just, I think it sounds good, but you know, or maybe she thinks it is really. Now first, this Vanity Fair spread. To me, if you look at, I'm going to show you some of the, the, the photos, the spread to. What is this? What does this remind you of? Like to me, this is very Meghan Markle coded. I am in $10,000 at least. No, these are $20,000 worth of clothes. And I look like I'm out in English fucking countryside and I've got my hands in a pot. And then there's another one here where she's again in like a custom made dress practically probably, you know, hosing down the lawn. And then there's another one where she's got some kind of rusty implement but she's wearing, you know. Get the out of here. Okay, now we get this quote from Jen on the Brad Angie love triangle of the mid aughts. Brad famously left his wife Jennifer Aniston for his co star Angelina Jolie. And all three of them benefited from it. You know, I'm not saying it wasn't very painful for Jennifer Aniston. It clearly was. But here's what she has to say about it now in this piece. Quote. It was such juicy reading for people. If they didn't have their soap operas, they had their tabloids. Now that is a big fu to the very people who made Jennifer Aniston, all of us. All of us. A woman wealthy beyond her wildest dreams. Okay? And if she wants to say that it's our fault for reading about this and turning to it. Because us knuckle dragging morons out here, we didn't have our soap operas to turn to. So we had to turn to this so we could amuse ourselves with our sad little lives. You know who's on the COVID of the September issue of vanity fair in 2005? But one Jennifer Aniston. Okay, that's the biggest issue of the year for magazines. The September issues. It's when they get the most advertising. It's, it's. She knew she's a very media savvy person. She's been famous since she was in her 20s. She's shot by Mario Testino, a guy who shot Princess Diana. Okay? Her tell all she's half naked on the COVID and she's even more naked inside. You know, her tell all the the headline and Vanity Fair shaded her. They shift her. Okay, they got the exclusive. Everybody wanted the first exclusive with Jennifer Aniston. Post Brad. Okay, so the headline is Jen finally talks, exclamation point. And underneath the subhead, Vanity Fair wrote the following. And cries comma and cries comma, and talks comma and cries. They're making fun of her. They're making fun of her. And you know they all. Brad and Angie, look what they did on the COVID of W magazine back then. They were all participating in this media frenzy and she so stop it. Just stop. Just stop. Okay, now onto the new boyfriend. One Jim Curtis, a professional hypnotist. I mean, I've been to space and I've never met a professional hypnotist. You know, I run in pretty high level circles now. I guess not high enough. Now Jim is a self published self help author. Our favorite kind here at the Nerve. And before we get into this book, it is an insult to books to call this a book. Let's look at him on Instagram with his little tutorials on how we all out here can self actualize. Here's one for you.

[Maureen Callahan]

Here's how to get exponentially happier. The first is stop trying to impress. You don't need to impress anyone. Being your authentic self and comfortable with it will alleviate so much stress and anxiety. Second, reduce your consumption. You don't need to worry about the money that you need to buy more clothing. Third is practice gratitude. For when you recognize what you already have in your life, even more of it comes.

[Andy Cohen]

Gratitude. That's Mel Robbins 101. Don't worry about money. Easy to say when you're rolling in those circles. Grifting around town as some sort of self help guru. I don't know this guy's education. I doubt he majored in philosophy, the works of great literature, psychology, what have you. And then he says. Did he say, be your own authentic self? I don't think it was like a deliberate portmanteau. I think he meant to say be your own self or be your authentic self and stop trying to impress. But let me tell you something. There's only one way a civilian like that gets into a list circles like Jennifer Aniston's and that's by learning how to impress people. So he's a liar in my opinion. Okay, tutorial number two, repeat after me.

[Maureen Callahan]

Love comes easily to me because I am love, I am loving and I am lovable.

[Andy Cohen]

I would add I'm A to that. I mean, he's obviously not a total because he's making money doing this and whatever, but like, you know, he's a good looking guy who found a hustle and the stuff he's repeating is like our third and final. I won't put you through much more of this. Here we go.

[Maureen Callahan]

Repeat after me. I am grateful for where I am, excited for what's next. I release the pain of the past and step into the pleasure of the future.

[Andy Cohen]

Oprah should have this guy on. And this whole repeat after me thing, it sounds like he's like. It's. It's like a kind of the. The and the. The not blinking very much and like it's feels mind controlly to me. It does. Okay. Now his book, by the way. Okay, I'm just going to show you a couple of things. I, I did. I think I posted a little bit on Instagram, but his book is called Shift. Quantum Manifestation Physics. No, but he's implying Quantum Manifestation Guide. A workbook for coding a new consciousness with guided visualizations inside. It's co authored by a woman named Sarah Hedir. Okay, let's take a look at. Okay, one, extract alignment. First of all, look at the level of font in here, okay? 100 year old people, centenarians don't need font this big. This is taking up space. Alignment means actively preparing yourself to receive what you desire. This is about doing the work to create an inner environment that supports what you're trying to attract. He's got a. He's got QR codes in here. Here's a workbook page. Write down what you want. Then over here there's a QR code which I did link to and which sends you to some app where you can download his stuff. I mean, it's all horseshit. There's QR code. What is this book? Get out. She deserves what's coming her way. I'm telling you, this guy's a hustler. Now back to Jennifer Aniston because I not only do I hate watch the morning show, first of all, the character that Reese Witherspoon is playing is way. She's way too old to be playing that character. This is not ageist, but she is supposed to be the young up and coming protege slash All About Eve scenario who wants to skin Jennifer Aniston's character alive and wear her skin and have her life and her money and her fame and, and her respect. Okay, but no, Reese Witherspoon had a cast herself in it. So it's like two middle aged women, you know, whatever. And then so Jennifer Aniston plays this woman named Alex Levy. Now she wants Jen. Jen's brand is I am just America's uncomplicated Sweetheart. Okay. I actually suspect that she harbors a lot of rage and I do think she harbors a tendency toward self pity. And this became clear to me. Was it season two or season three of the morning show? So she, as Alex Levy, is addressing her audience from her lavishly appointed Manhattan penthouse at the height of COVID Her character has contracted Covid and she now she's addressing her Christ like persecution in the public square. But make no mistake, actors at this level often more than not, exhibit a lot of control over what their characters do and don't do. How bad they are allowed to look. Often not very bad at all. Tom Hanks only ever plays good guys, except in the case of Colonel Tom Parker in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis. But I digress. I think this is Jennifer Aniston talking to us as Alex Levy. I think this is Jennifer Aniston and her resentments about what extreme fame, privilege and wealth have brought her in the way of public opinion. And if not, she didn't have the self awareness to go to the writers and say, I think you should dial this monologue back. Okay, first let's take a look at part one of this. But my response to you is, what's your point? Is it that if I deserve it, it allows you to enjoy someone else's pain while feeling morally righteous? And by the way, the world's not fair. Fair is just a man made concept. So why, why do you have this opinion? Why do you have an opinion on this? Mind your own store. That's Alex Levy talking to her audience, who has made her very rich and very famous and very well respected. Why do you get to have an opinion on this? Hey, I get to have an opinion on anybody who shoves their face in front of mine and tries to get me to buy their. How much stuff does Jennifer Aniston endorse? Are you kidding me? We all get to have opinions, lady. We get to have them all day long. And you don't have to like them. You don't have to like them. Don't like them. Now here goes Alex slash Jen into. And by the way, back in that clip, if you, if you go back and look at it, her, her lap dog, Mark Duplass. Explain the Duplass brothers to me. Okay, explain them. He's the Alex Lapdog on the show. He's just hopelessly in love with her. And as she's doing this like self righteous thing, he's nodding in the studio with his headset on like, you go, you go. Okay, so here she. Here she goes again under the guise of a feminist. Shiro Alex Levy sticking up for herself. She's not gonna say she's sorry. No, ma'. Am. I'm done apologizing for myself. Either kid on the Alex Levy train or just stay at the station. First of all, I mean the, the head of the network would be involved in this or shutting it down immediately. Like it would be like a network, like the old movie network, classic movie level extinction event. And she would be fired if not put on a serious suspension or sent into space with Gail. But I think, you know, that, that, that, that salvo at the end, like either get on the Alexander Levy train or stay at the station. I think the rest of us would like to stay at the station and wait for the next train. Seems a lot more fun. So anyway, the self regard, it's off the charts. Okay? Trust me, it's off the charts. Now on to this story I find really fascinating. And this is a celebrity that is beloved. Kelly Clarkson is beloved. And she, you know, her professional life has felt very scattered of late and now we know why. Her ex husband, the father of her two children was dying of cancer. And we, so we've learned several things since then. And she really kept her mouth shut while he was alive. She really did. Now he, he was bad to her in so many ways. And the, the thing that I was reminded of was this headline from People magazine. It was a few years ago. The headline, quote, kelly Clarkson claims ex Brandon Blackstock, who is also her manager for a time, said she wasn't, quote, sexy enough to appear on the Voice. That is a malevolent force. That is a guy who's trying to with her head and hold her back from becoming even more wealthy and powerful. And Kelly Clarkson has a lot of talent. She's got a lot of talent. She's really hardworking. So not only, I mean, this whole thing was so much darker than we knew. Not only was Brandon court ordered to return $2.6 million of Kelly's earnings, and we know about the Voice thing. We now know. We just learned like a couple of days ago that he took up with Kelly's former personal assistant. And that timeline is unclear, but because it's so unclear, I'm going to guess that he took up with Kelly's former personal assistant while she was Kelly's active personal assistant. And those two were carrying on behind her back. And then they got caught and Kelly left him. And you know, at the time of his death, he was still with her. This woman he Sounds like a not good guy. In fact, I think he sounds like a really bad guy. And as we say here at the Nerve, just because somebody dies, it doesn't retroactively turn them into a saint. It doesn't mean you can't tell the truth about who they were. Check out his obituary, which people online are theorizing. And I think it's a great theory of the case that he wrote it himself because he knew his death was coming. This obituary leaves Kelly and his first wife, both of whom are mothers to his children, unnamed and unmentioned. Except for this line, and I quote, of Brandon. He played important roles in shaping the careers of many larger than life celebrities and left a lasting impact on everyone who met him. I suppose that that is one way to put it. And if Kelly isn't really grieving this guy, I'm sure she's grieving for her children who have lost their father at very tender ages. But if she isn't grieving for herself, I hope that she is not beating herself up about that. I hope that she realizes that that would actually be quite a healthy reaction. Okay, speaking as someone who had a. An evil step grandmother when she died. It wasn't that tears were not shed, because they were not. But, you know, I was relieved she was finally gone. She made all of our lives awful. Okay, now, several of you troublemakers alerted me to art that has gone viral of Carrie Bradshaw's forthcoming tour de force historical novel, which seems to have an amended title. Take a look at this. This is the Beware the Woman book cover with the woman. It looks like she. Her face is turned away. We see her in like one quarter profile. It seems as if she is wearing the psychedelic Holly Hobby hat. And there are blurbs. Check out the blurb from one Duncan Reeves. He says something like the first line, stop me dead in my tracks. That's not a compliment. It's a factual statement. You could get stopped dead in your tracks by how atrocious it is. And not to worry, we heard you loud and clear. And Tim the makeup artist has agreed to come back next week to talk about the last episode, if we should be so lucky. It's the last episode. Sarah Jessica's trying to flog that dead horse around town event. Just like that. Now, on to the death of fashion and fashion magazines. Now, I also just got the new September issue of Vogue magazine and this looks like a half assed prototype and there are so many things wrong with it. And we can get into that later. But the rumored frontrunner to be taking over for Anna Wintour at Vogue, I believe to be installed as her puppet, as Anna's just been kicked upstairs, is one Chloe Malley. Now, if you have not heard of Chloe, it is with good reason. Though those of us in the media know who she is. We know her as the Nepo baby of the actress Candice Bergen and the late famed French film director Louis Mali. Now take a look at some of Chloe's Instagram post and you tell me, you tell me if you don't think that she represents the future of modern fashion and style and beauty and grace. And I'm just gonna say those things out loud because this is the unvarnished truth. This is unfair, okay? This is unfair. This is somebody privileged who is getting a glide path into the world of Conde Nast, the realm of Vogue, and is now going to probably take control of it because of who her mommy and daddy are. Okay? Now, Chloe interviewed her mother. Remember was it. It was last summer, I think, or spring when the Swans aired on fx. And it was the fictionalized depiction of Truman Capote's. Truman Capote and his relationship with swans, one of whom was Babe Paley. So Chloe had the brilliant idea that she should interview her mother for Vogue magazine. Now, this piece was dated, or is dated, rather, February 12, 2024. The headline was the Black and White Ball. Actually, fun question mark. Candice Bergen can't remember. Now, any editor worth their salt is going to say, if you're pitching me a story and you say, I want to interview my mom about the Black and White Ball. My question is, oh, what do you think? She has to. What is she going to say about it? And you say to me, well, she can't remember anything. I'm going to say, get the fuck out of my office. Go get me a fucking latte. Make use of yourself and your tiny brain. But no, she got the green light. So she's interviewing her mother who remembers like nothing about Truman Capote's legendary Black and White Ball held at New York City's Plaza Hotel in November 1966. Now this is the. This is an excerpt of this Q and A which is pegged to the Ryan Murphy Show. Now, Candace says, I don't remember even the invitations. Chloe says, well, according. This is so fucking insufferable. According to Babe Paley, invitations should always be sharp edged, never deckled. That is some 1 percenter. You may as well talk about the thickness of the paper stock and who the vendor is. Deckled edge versus sharp edge. Okay? And then they talk about the Tablecloths and the color of the tablecloths. And Chloe says to her mother, do you remember that? Whether they were white or red? And Candace says, how do you know all this, Chloe? I watched the show, exclamation point, Bergen. What show, Chloe? Oh, God. Can. Can is short for Candace here. So she calls her mother Can. And I don't know if this is a flex or it's like a shiv because she was raised by the nannies. I don't know what this is, but it's. Is it a flex like my mother's famous? And I miniaturize her name like this, even though it's really not even. It's not a name like Candy would be the nickname. Like, you don't truncate a name like Candace to Cannes, but here we go. Anyway, she says the show's based on the book called Capote's Women. It's about the feud between him and the swans. And then we get a look at Candace as a Nepo baby herself. Chloe says, did you know any of the Swans? And Candace says, well, I knew Babe Paley through my parents because Bill Paley was the head of CBS and my father was a star on cbs. So clearly Chloe has this in the bag. I'm going to read you guys before we get to our moment of nirvana. And this is a great one. I got an incredible email from a troublemaker who saw this coming, emailed me on Wednesday at 1:04am I don't know where in the world you are. Oh, this. This is a late email. This is. Unless this guy's on vacation somewhere, this is a 718 zip code, which means. Wayne. Troublemaker Wayne, you are in Brooklyn, New York. Okay. My daughter attended Riverdale Country School with Chloe. This tracks. She was raised in New York City. They shared a French class. Chloe flunked the class even though her father was French. But wait, there's more. When it was time to sit for her SAT exams, again, just this. Troublemakers report. Chloe, along with a group of her little elitist friends, all brought in notes from their family doctors stating they all had ADHD. Shades of John Jr. Though he did have it. This allowed them to take as much time as they wanted while taking their exams, even though college entrance committees are not privy to this info. Who knows? Maybe Chloe really is learning disabled. After all, she was two years older than everyone else in her graduating class. Old Candy girl refused to even talk or even look at other moms at the parent conferences, choosing instead to just sit and scowl. Candy donated $2 million to Brown University's endowment fund. And despite Chloe's hardships, she was accepted at Brown. Probably just a coincidence, Brown is the Ivy where all the dumb celebrity kids go. John Jr. Went there. He couldn't get in anywhere and Brown took him. And you know why? Because they were like, he's our best free advertising. They weren't wrong. Becoming an editor at Vogue is quite a feat for the granddaughter of a ventriloquist who performed on radio. So I guess the listening audience had to sit in their living rooms and try to imagine how good he was. Thank you, Wayne. Finally, we end on said high note, our moment of nirvana. Our heroine, our troublemaker of the week, is one Christine Baranski. The accomplished actress who moves and talks with the elegance of a blue bud. Blue blood. Excuse me, but is at heart a working class kid from, I believe, upstate New York, like a really small town. And I don't think she's ever forgotten that. Here's Christine giving her brave, unvarnished take on that recent celebrity space flight. Grotesque displays of wealth, sending women into a spaceship for what? So they can, you know, do their makeup. What the fuck? Don't get me started. I'm going. I'm going to sound like Agnes. She's amazing. Like, look at that. Look at the crowd reaction. You know, she dropped the mic. This is so great. You can stop right here. You guys can stop it. It's amazing. Christine, don't get me started. Please keep going on a roll and consider yourself the recipient of an open invitation to come on the Nerve anytime you like. Even though I too have been to space, I will not take your criticisms personally. And that is it. That does it for this Friday edition of the Nerve. But, but, but we do have a Mini for you this weekend. Head on over to YouTube. That's where the Minis live. For now. They're only available on YouTube. But it's great because we go to town with like tons of video and it's just, it's the most fun because you could never. These people could never turn around and say, I never said that. I never looked like that. I never reacted like that. It's, it's all there on video. We are dropping as usual on Saturday morning at 10am Eastern. This involves one of our repeat offenders. I'm just going to give you a little warning. A warning and a tease. I know a lot of you on the east coast like to join for breakfast. Don't eat too closely to the drop of this if you're watching it live, okay? I love you. Don't do it. So be sure we will see you. Check it out. We will see you there then. And then we will be back with a full show on Tuesday at the Nerve where you will never guess what we're about to say next.

[Maureen Callahan]

When work gets crazy, I like to.

[Andy Cohen]

Stop by the bar after have a few cold ones. I don't drink at all until 4 o'. Clock. We limit ourselves to one bottle of wine a night.

[Maureen Callahan]

Excessive drinking has a way of sneaking up on us. A few drinks, a few nights a week, it can add up and suddenly we're at greater risk for long term problems like heart disease, cancer and depression. Reason enough to rethink the Drink [e-mail].

[Christine Baranski]

No ECHE initiative when it's this hot, you need a snack that's cool, fun and delicious like my mochi ice cream. Maimochi is little scoops of ice cream and flavors like strawberry, mango and cookies and cream wrapped in soft dough. It's creamy on the inside and chewy on the outside like a sweet ice cream dumpling. My mochi is gluten free and only 70 calories a piece. The perfect guilt free snack this summer. Grab a purple box of my mochi ice cream and feel joyfully chill with the coolest treat around.